Pretender Ipod shuffle 2
by Creek-IB-08
Summary: ... not much to say other than I hope you enjoy.


_AN: The second of these that I have done for this show. I hope you enjoy._

_**Show: The Pretender**_

**Fire and Ice – Pat Benetar – 3:21**

She was a woman almost of conflicting personalities in everything she did. She was both fire and ice. She had a passion that was unrivaled, most of the time. But she also had a cold, calculating mind and she refused to let anyone in. These traits were perfect for someone in her position. She had the passion, not to mention motivation, to hunt the Pretender to the ends of the earth if necessary. She would not be deterred by any of his tricks or ploys. Her fire worked for her and the Center. Her icy side was to her advantage as well. She couldn't be drawn into the Pretender's plight, similar to her own as it may be. She would keep herself distant and accomplish her job, no attachments. No strings. Period.

**To Fall Asleep – Jim van Fleet – 3:59**

He had considered what it was that he was feeling in depth and come up with one possible answer. He had to be in love – with Miss Parker. Granted, there weren't many times that he had a real chance to see her and they were almost always under surveillance, as he was all his life. But he was convinced he had fallen in love with her none the less. He heard her name mentioned and he felt a pain in his heart. She came around and his hands would shake for no physiological reason. Not to mention that he lay awake night after night thinking about every curve of her face, every tone of her voice, everything about her. Now he just needed to know if she felt the same. There were obstacles though, even for a genius like him. The first would be to find a way to ask her how she felt. The second, to get her to open up honestly. The third, to keep the Center's ever present camera's from seeing the conversation, because if they knew, they would certainly ruin it.

**Baby What a Big Surprise – Chicago – 3:05**

The most recent surprise, and probably the biggest in a long time, was that she had actually fallen in love with Tommy. They were actually in an honest to God real relationship. They were living together and things were going great. He seemed to really love her and respect her and he didn't pry too much into what she did for a living. She was even more surprised that she preferred having someone around when she had to contest her bad memories or a bad day at the office. She had gotten used to being alone a long time ago, but she wasn't anymore and she liked that fact. She didn't know how, exactly, but she had found possibly the love of her life in Tommy. What a surprise.

**One Thing Leads to Another – The Fix – 3:16**

He had learned a long time ago that he shouldn't be surprised by anything when it came to the Center. There was no experiment too questionable or unethical. There was no lie too discreet or too bold. There was nothing that was too brutal or violent. Not only that, but everything, or in this case everyone, at the Center was interrelated. Nothing about the Center was innocent or singular. Lies were simply the code of the job, everywhere you turned there was some deception or another. Now they find out that not only does Parker have a twin brother and Jarod have a younger brother, they also have a common half brother! "One thing certainly does lead to another around here" he mumbled.

**Shang-a-lang – Bay City Rollers – 3:04**

Sydney seldom took time to reminisce. Before, he was too busy with his projects and pursuing science. Then, looking back without having his brother there was just too painful. Then, Jarod had escaped and he had focused his energy in the dual purpose of keeping Jarod safe and free and doing his job for the Center. But now, when the search for the Pretender was obviously going to never reach a conclusion and Jarod was doing well on his own, he took time to look back to his childhood, aided by a song he heard on a distant radio. The lyrics were true, they sang and ran wild and swore that nothing could ever replace their music and freedom of spirit.

**Hard Habit to Break – Chicago – 4:44**

Some days he knew he had done the right thing finding Tommy for her. Some days, on the other hand, it was a little harder to be generous. He and Parker had a special connection they had shared from childhood. They were each other's first sweethearts. And even after she had left for boarding school, he had not forgotten her. She would come back to visit on holidays. And when he escaped, he tried but couldn't sever that bond. So he called and stopped by in the dead of night or sent presents. Now that she had Tommy, he couldn't even do that. He thought seeing her happy would make it easier. And if he was ever going to make a real break from the Center he would have to break that bond. But it was still hard. He had miscalculated and instead of making things easier, they had become harder. He was almost addicted to her. He loved the banter they shared most of the time while on the chase, playing the game. But in those quiet moments of solitude in the middle of the night they were completely, or almost, honest with each other and he missed that more than anything.

**Hold on Loosely - .38 Special – 4:38**

In the course of his … I guess it could be called a career – he had been privy to witness all kinds of relationships. He often encountered relationships that seemed to be perfect, but the couple could no longer be together. Being the puzzle solver that he was, Jarod had searched long and hard for the explanation. He knew that human emotions and actions were hard to pinpoint or predict, but his special skill that allowed him to achieve his pretends helped. Still, the best advice he had been able to find had, surprisingly enough, come from a young Miss Parker. She had once told him that the key was to "Hold on loosely, but don't let go." It made since if you thought about it. It was like a bird. You hold loosely enough not to hurt it but securely enough to keep it from flying away from you. The same was definitely true of relationships.

**Don't Tell Mama – Ty Herndon – 4:1****2**

It was late one night when he saw the truck go off the road. For a split second, none of the training he had had or knowledge he had imparted himself with came to mind. But, being the genius that he was, the shock quickly subsided and he rushed to the crash site. He was the Pretender and could be anyone he wanted to be after all, and he was the only one around that could provide any help. He found the driver about five feet from the wreckage with a whiskey bottle lying next to him. Some things he would never understand, like how anyone could knowingly put themselves and others in danger by driving drunk. It was such a stupid and pointless way to die. But, he pushed those thought to the back burner and began assessing the situation. Even with all of his abilities, there was nothing he could do to save this man and it ate at him. Still he was able to honor his last request – "Don't tell Mama I was drinking." Some things even a genus would never be able to understand.

**Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad – Def Leppard – 5:19**

He had to have her, regardless how ridiculous it seemed. They had spent the better part of their lives pitted against each other. They had been adversaries longer than he cared to think about. They had pulled guns on the other, and threatened, and been plain cruel on occasion. A relationship between them seemed like the last thing that would ever happen. They were both emotionally damaged and distant and closed off. Neither was very trusting as a result of their upbringing in the dark halls and twisted atmosphere of the Center. Still, there was no one who would be a better match for him and he knew it. However he knew he could never have her. Her job was to recapture him and her loyalties for her own twisted reasons were to their mutual prison. If they were to ever have a chance, he would first have to tear down the Center and guarantee freedom for both of them. But he needed her, so he was willing to at least try.

**Stay in This Moment – Trick Pony – 3:32**

She knew it went against her character and made her sound needy, but she had to say it – "Stay in this moment with me". She normally wasn't this girl, she was strong and smart and fiercely independent. But there was something about being with this man that brought out other parts of her. She didn't know if it was their shared experiences and childhoods or the knowledge of the brevity of life that their relationship emphasized, but he made her vulnerable. They had a limited amount of time together and it was always dangerous when they were, because if anyone from the Center found out … she couldn't finish the thought. So she wanted to make the most of every minute they had together.

**Bring on the Rain – Jo Dee Messina – 3:59**

If this were a movie, it would be raining about now, but it wasn't a movie. This absurd contraption was her life and she hated it. Rain would be just what she needed right now. It wasn't bad enough that she had Mr. Raines and Lyle on her back, but Jarod had decided to play her just a little too far this time. She was so frustrated she could almost justify crying, almost. But she was a Parker, and Parkers don't cry. She would concede this battle to the lab-rat, she would still win the war. She would still win her freedom. Tomorrow they would have another lead on Jarod and they would catch up to the boy wonder. He couldn't run forever. Actually he could and they all knew it, but thinking like that would depress her too much.

**Reason to Believe – Rod Stewart – 3:52**

Their relationship like everything else involving the Center was complicated. Sydney – the man who had raised and nurtured him. Sydney - the man who lied straight faced, while he cried about his parent and having real friends. Sydney - the man who had demanded perfection and that he never simply quit a simulation. Sydney - the man who taught him to love and be selfless without ever outwardly showing those qualities himself. Sydney - the man who had introduced him to the girl who was his first real friend and love and who would later become his huntress. Still, Jarod looked for a reason to believe in his old mentor. If he listened long enough, close enough, hard enough, he could probably be convinced of anything by this man. So he kept communications short. Still he looked to find a reason to believe.


End file.
